1. Field of the Invention
The invention relates to a medical instrument consisting of at least two instrument parts.
2. Description of the Related Art
Such instruments for example are known in the form of endoscopes which comprise a shank into which endoscope optics are applied. For this, the endoscope optics are detachably connected to the proximal end of the shank in the region of their proximal end. Such connections are also present with other endoscopic instruments with which shank-like instrument parts which are inserted in one another may be detachably connected to one another at the proximal end of the instrument. The individual parts must be able to be easily separated from one another in order, for example, during an operation, to be able to exchange instrument parts with other instrument parts, or to be able to also easily dismantle the complete instrument for cleaning.
Such an instrument for example is known from DE 197 04 579 C2. This instrument at the proximal end comprises a coupling for connecting two shank-like medical instruments. The two instruments to be connected comprise bearing surfaces which come to bear on one another in a sealing manner at the interface. Furthermore a box-like slider is provided which engages around the coupling and may be displaced transversely to the connection direction, i.e., to the longitudinal axis of the shank, between a locked and unlocked position. The slider has a keyhole-like receiver and is firmly connected to the one instrument. The keyhole-like receiver may engage behind a bearing shoulder on the other instrument to connect the two instruments to one another. Guide rods and guide springs are arranged in the inside of the box-like slider, which press the slider automatically back into a locked position or move it back into this position.
The disadvantage of this arrangement is the complicated construction of the slider which demands a considerable amount of effort to assemble. Furthermore, the box-like structure with numerous components of the slider which lie at the inside has the disadvantage that this instrument region is very difficult to clean. Contamination in the inside of the slide is very difficult to remove with a standard cleaning of the instrument. Furthermore, the complicated construction often leads to erroneous functions.